1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a condiment, e.g., salt and pepper, dispenser that is safe and convenient for flavoring foods being cooked at backyard barbecues, in kitchens, and the like.
2. Background
The word barbecue is derived from the Spanish word barbacoa that early explorers applied to a rack that American Indians used to preserve food by smoking. With modem refrigeration, this is not necessary, but barbecuing has become increasingly popular as a food preparation method, especially after World War II. According to one source, 5.5 million people now attend barbecue cook-offs every year. At present, there is at least one niche-market store chain devoted solely to barbecue equipment and supplies.
Barbecuing is an integral part of many family occasions. In these settings, while not really a game, children often would like to assist in food preparation to some extent. The easiest activity for them is to apply condiments. However, there is some danger in this because of the open heat, creating at least anxiety on the part of parents. Although there must be thousands of different condiment dispensers, none are well suited for flavoring food over a barbecue. Typically, one grasps the body of the container with the dispensing end facing the thumb and reaches over the barbecue. For short people, there is the discomfort of high heat and the risk of burns from ignited dripping fat. There are isolated instances of condiment dispensers that have short handles dictated by a container shape that is not amenable to grasping. These design were never intended to and do not solve the problem presented by a barbecue. Other disadvantages of the prior art will become more apparent after a description of the advantages of the present invention.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a condiment dispenser that can apply condiments to food being cooked over a barbecue grill while exposing the user to a minimal amount of heat.
Another object is to provide a condiment dispenser that can apply condiments with greater control using less force than currently available dispensers.
These objectives are realized by a condiment dispenser having at least one condiment container and a long handle secured to it. Preferably the length of the handle is at least six inches and more preferably at least nine inches. The securing of the container to the handle may be either permanent or de-mountable.
In one version, attached to one end of the handle is a cylindrical holder that has grooves inside or slots in the wall that provide a locking mechanism for protrusions on two cylindrical condiment containers that are twist-locked into the holder with their bottoms inside and their dispensing ends facing away from each other. Lids and rotatable tops allow filling the containers and regulating the flow.
As a modification of this version, a lid having a plurality of pyramidal protrusions and having at least one hole can be used as a combination tenderizer and marinader.
Other methods of securing condiment containers to the handle include, but are not limited to, screw threads, circular clamps, and frictional fits.